Cleaning box and method for cleaning pipe by utilizing the same

ABSTRACT

A cleaning box used to catch the waste materials from a vacuum pipe of a working machine is provided. The present invention is characterized in that the cleaning box includes a catch inlet and an air outlet wherein the catch inlet is connected to the vacuum pipe of the working machine, and the air outlet is connected to an exhaust pipe of an exhaust apparatus. That the cleaning box has high rigidity can prevent the cleaning box from breaking and the waste materials from leaking out of the cleaning box.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a cleaning apparatus, and more particularly, to a cleaning box and a method for cleaning pipe by utilizing the same.

2. Description of the Related Art

According to the characteristics of the manufacturing process, a heater jacket is commonly used in some working machines, such as: the metal etching machine, for adding heat to the vacuum pipe to prevent the waste materials such as polymer from sticking on the inner wall of the vacuum pipe during the semiconductor fabrication. However, parts of the vacuum pipe not covered by the heater jacket will need to be cleaned from time to time.

FIG. 1 schematically shows a connection diagram of a conventional semiconductor fabricating apparatus. FIG. 2 schematically shows a method for cleaning a vacuum pipe of a working machine in the prior art.

Firstly, the interconnection of a working machine 100, a vacuum pump 106, and an exhaust apparatus 112 in a semiconductor fabricating system is described in greater detail with reference to FIG. 1. A vacuum pipe 102 of the working machine 100 is connected to an air inlet 108 of a vacuum pump 106 via a connection pipe 104. An air outlet 110 of the vacuum pump 106 is connected to an exhaust pipe 114 of the exhaust apparatus 112. In this case, the working machine 100 may be a metal etching machine. In addition, part of the vacuum pipe 102 has already been covered with a heater jacket 116 for adding heat to the vacuum pipe 102, so as to prevent the waste materials from sticking on the inner wall of the vacuum pipe 102.

Referred to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, when the vacuum pipe 102 of the working machine 100 illustrated in FIG. 1 requires cleaning, the connection pipe 104 connected to the vacuum pipe 102 and the air outlet 110 have to be removed first. Then, one operator needs to remove the waste materials 118 adhered to the inner wall of the vacuum pipe 102 from part of the vacuum pipe 102 that is not covered by the heater jacket 116, and a second operator needs to seal the opening with a plastic bag 120 on the opening of the vacuum pipe 102 for catching the dropped waste materials 118.

However, since the plastic bag 120 is easily ripped, using the plastic bag 120 to catch the waste materials 118 may result in security issues, such as: leaking of the waste materials 118 due to the waste materials 118 being dropped outside of the plastic bag 120.

In addition, since the tightness of the plastic bag 120 is poor, that the waste materials 118 easily leaks from the sealing between the plastic bag 120 and the vacuum pipe 102 has significantly negative impacts on health of the operators.

On the other hand, if the dust leaks from the joint sealing between the plastic bag 120 and the vacuum pipe 102, that the sensor detection point of the smoke alarm will rise and the smoke alarm is activated may cause false alarm.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a cleaning box for holding the waste materials in the connection pipe, so as to prevent the waste materials from leaking.

It is another objective of the present invention to provide a method for cleaning pipe, the method can effectively clean the waste materials in the connection pipe and prevent the waste materials from leaking.

The present invention provides a cleaning box for catching the waste materials from a vacuum pipe of a working machine. The present invention is characterized in that the cleaning box includes a catch inlet and an air outlet wherein the catch inlet is connected to the vacuum pipe of the working machine, and the air outlet is connected to an exhaust pipe of an exhaust apparatus.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cleaning box mentioned above further comprises a transparent plate for viewing the inside of the cleaning box.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cleaning box mentioned above further comprises a transportation pipe for connecting the air outlet of the cleaning box to the exhaust pipe of the exhaust apparatus.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the transportation pipe mentioned above comprises a soft tube.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cleaning box mentioned above comprises stainless steel.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, inside the cleaning box mentioned above, the air outlet is located on the top surface of the cleaning box.

The present invention further provides a cleaning method for cleaning the waste materials adhered to an inner wall of a vacuum pipe of a working machine wherein the vacuum pipe is connected to an air inlet of the vacuum pump via a connection pipe, and a first air outlet of a vacuum pump is connected to an exhaust pipe of the exhaust apparatus. The method for cleaning pipe comprises the following steps. First, the connection pipe is removed, and then a cleaning box comprising a catch inlet and a second air outlet is provided. Then, the cleaning box is connected to the vacuum pipe via the catch inlet, and the cleaning box is connected to the exhaust pipe of the exhaust apparatus via a second air outlet. Finally, the waste materials on the inner wall of the vacuum pipe are dropped in the cleaning box, and the waste gas generated by the waste materials is exhausted from the exhaust pipe of the exhaust apparatus.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein the method for cleaning pipe mentioned above, the step of dropping the waste materials on the inner wall of the vacuum pipe into the cleaning box comprises knocking the vacuum pipe.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein the method for cleaning pipe mentioned above, the second air outlet is located on the top surface of the cleaning box.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein the method for cleaning pipe mentioned above further comprises a transparent plate for viewing the inside of the cleaning box.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein the method for cleaning pipe mentioned above further comprises a transportation pipe for connecting the air outlet of the cleaning box to the exhaust pipe of the exhaust apparatus.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein the method for cleaning pipe mentioned above, the transportation pipe comprises a soft tube.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein the method for cleaning pipe mentioned above, the cleaning box comprises stainless steel.

It is known from the description above that the cleaning box has high rigidity and good anti-erosion property, which can prevent the cleaning box from breaking and the waste materials from leaking out of the cleaning box. In addition, a transparent plate is disposed on the cleaning box of the present invention, for clearly viewing the process of the waste materials caught by the cleaning box. Moreover, the air outlet is located on the top surface of the cleaning box to effectively prevent the waste materials from stuffing into the exhaust pipe of the exhaust apparatus.

On the other hand, with the method for cleaning pipe provided by the present invention, the exhaust apparatus can exhaust the dust generated by the waste materials from the cleaning box to the outside of the fabricating system to prevent the dust from leaking. Furthermore, that the pipes in the present invention are connected with the tube connectors can prevent the security issues of the waste materials leaking from the sealing of the pipe.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention, and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 schematically shows a connection diagram of a conventional semiconductor fabricating apparatus.

FIG. 2 schematically shows a method for cleaning a vacuum pipe of a working machine in the prior art.

FIG. 3 schematically shows a method for cleaning a vacuum pipe of a working machine according to the present invention.

DESCRIPTION PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The method for cleaning pipe provided by the present invention is suitable for cleaning the waste materials on the inner wall of a vacuum pipe in a working machine. The waste materials mentioned above may be adhered to the inner wall of the vacuum pipe, which is not covered by the heater jacket. The cleaning box and the method for cleaning pipe provided by the present invention are described in greater detail hereinafter with reference to an example of cleaning the waste materials in the pipe of a semiconductor fabricating system.

Referred to FIG. 1, in the present semiconductor fabricating system, a vacuum pump 106 is used by a working machine 100 to generate a vacuum operating environment, and the waste gas exhausted by the vacuum pump 106 is exhausted outside of the semiconductor fabricating system by an exhaust apparatus 112. In this case, the working machine 100 may be a metal etching machine. In addition, the interconnection of the working machine 100, the vacuum pump 106, and the exhaust apparatus 112 and its related components have been discussed above and in FIG. 1 and details are therefore omitted herein.

FIG. 3 schematically shows a method for cleaning a vacuum pipe of a working machine according to the present invention.

Referred to FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, the method for cleaning pipe provided by the present invention comprises the following steps. First, a connection pipe 104 is removed.

Then, a cleaning box 122 is provided for catching the waste materials 118 from the vacuum pipe 102 of the working machine 100 wherein the cleaning box 122 is connected to the vacuum pipe 102 of the working machine 100 and the exhaust pipe 114 of the exhaust apparatus 112. The dust generated by the waste materials 118 in the cleaning box 122 is exhausted outside of the semiconductor fabricating system via the exhaust pipe 114 of the exhaust apparatus 112 to prevent the dust from leaking.

The cleaning box 122 comprises a catch inlet 124 and an air outlet 126, and the cleaning box 122 may be made of stainless steel, so that the cleaning box 122 is not eroded due to the waste materials 118. In addition, a transparent plate 128 may be disposed on the cleaning box 122, which is used for clearly viewing the process of the waste materials 118 caught by the cleaning box 122.

Moreover, the catch inlet 124 of the cleaning box 122 is connected to the vacuum pipe 102 of the working machine 100 for using as the inlet of the cleaning box 122 to catch the waste materials 118.

The air outlet 126 of the cleaning box 122 is connected to the exhaust pipe 114 of the exhaust apparatus 112, and the air outlet 126 may be located on the top surface of the cleaning box 122 effectively preventing the waste materials 118 from stuffing into the exhaust pipe 114 of the exhaust apparatus 112. In addition, the air outlet 126 of the cleaning box 122 is connected to the exhaust pipe 114 of the exhaust apparatus 112 via a transportation pipe 130, and the transportation pipe 130 may be a soft tube.

The pipes mentioned above may be connected with the tube connectors, so that the sealing between the pipes are firmly sealed to prevent the waste materials leaking from the sealing.

Then, the waste materials 118 on the inner wall of the vacuum pipe 102, which is not covered by the heater jacket 116 is dropped into the cleaning box 122, and the waste gas is exhausted from the exhaust pipe 114 of the exhaust apparatus 112 wherein the method of dropping the waste materials 118 into the cleaning box 122 may comprise knocking the vacuum pipe 102.

When the cleaning box 122 of the present invention is used to catch the waste materials 118 in the pipe, that the cleaning box 122 of the present invention has high rigidity and good anti-erosion property will prevent the cleaning box 122 from breaking and the waste materials 118 from leaking out of the cleaning box 122. When the method for cleaning pipe provided by the present invention is applied to clean the pipe, the waste materials 118 in the pipe can be effectively cleaned, and the security issues, such as: the leaking of waste materials 118 leaking, can be prevented.

In summary, the present invention at least has following advantages:

1. The cleaning box of the present invention has high rigidity to prevent the cleaning box from breaking and the waste materials from leaking out of the cleaning box.

2. The cleaning box of the present invention has a transparent plate, so that the waste materials inside the cleaning box can be clearly watched.

3. The cleaning box of the present invention may be made of stainless steel, which effectively reduces the erosion on the cleaning box due to the waste materials.

4. In the cleaning box of the present invention, the air outlet is located higher than a top level of the waste materials in the cleaning box, to effectively prevent the waste materials from stuffing into the exhaust pipe of the exhaust apparatus.

5. By using the method for cleaning pipe of the present invention, the dust generated by the waste materials in the cleaning box is exhausted outside of the semiconductor fabricating system by the exhaust apparatus to prevent the security issues of dust leaking from occuring.

6. With the method for cleaning pipe of the present invention, the sealing between the pipes are firmly sealed to prevent the waste materials leaking from the sealing.

Although the invention has been described with reference to a particular embodiment thereof, it will be apparent to one of the ordinary skill in the art that modifications to the described embodiment may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention will be defined by the attached claims not by the above detailed description. 

1. A cleaning box suitable for catching waste materials from a vacuum pipe of a working machine, characterized in that: the cleaning box has a catch inlet and an air outlet, wherein the catch inlet is connected to the vacuum pipe of the working machine, and the air outlet is connected to an exhaust pipe of an exhaust apparatus.
 2. The cleaning box of claim 1, further comprising a transparent plate for viewing the inside of the cleaning box.
 3. The cleaning box of claim 1, further comprising a transportation pipe for connecting the air outlet of the cleaning box to the exhaust pipe of the exhaust apparatus.
 4. The cleaning box of claim 3, wherein the transportation pipe comprises a soft tube.
 5. The cleaning box of claim 1, wherein the cleaning box comprises stainless steel.
 6. The cleaning box of claim 1, wherein the air outlet is located on a top surface of the cleaning box.
 7. A method for cleaning pipe suitable for cleaning waste materials on an inner wall of a vacuum pipe of a working machine, wherein the vacuum pipe is connected to an air inlet of a vacuum pump via a connection pipe, a first air outlet of the vacuum pump is connected to an exhaust pipe of an exhaust apparatus, and the method for cleaning pipe comprises: removing the connection pipe; providing a cleaning box, and the cleaning box comprising a catch inlet and a second air outlet; connecting the cleaning box to the vacuum pipe via the catch inlet; connecting the cleaning box to the exhaust pipe of the exhaust apparatus via the second air outlet; and dropping the waste materials on the inner wall of the vacuum pipe into the cleaning box, and exhausting the waste gas generated by the waste materials in the cleaning box via the exhaust pipe of the exhaust apparatus.
 8. The method for cleaning pipe of claim 7, wherein the step of dropping the waste materials on the inner wall of the vacuum pipe into the cleaning box comprises knocking the vacuum pipe.
 9. The method for cleaning pipe of claim 7, wherein the second air outlet is located on a top surface of the cleaning box.
 10. The method for cleaning pipe of claim 7, further comprising a transparent plate for viewing the inside of the cleaning box.
 11. The method for cleaning pipe of claim 7, further comprising a transportation pipe for connecting the air outlet of the cleaning box to the exhaust pipe of the exhaust apparatus.
 12. The method for cleaning pipe of claim 7, wherein the transportation pipe comprises a soft tube.
 13. The method for cleaning pipe of claim 7, wherein the cleaning box comprises stainless steel. 